


If the Villain Can Die

by CatHeights



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode Related, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-12
Updated: 2007-07-12
Packaged: 2017-10-05 13:44:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatHeights/pseuds/CatHeights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kolya had been the villain who just wouldn't die. The story takes place in the time period between <i>Irresponsible</i> and the <i>Tao of Rodney</i> and was written for the Kink and Cliche Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If the Villain Can Die

  
The gust coming off the ocean rippled through Rodney's hair and clothes, but he barely noticed. Rocking in exhaustion, he stared at a faded scar on his arm. One of Kolya's grunts had carved that mark, a reminder of how hard it was to keep quiet when a knife sliced through your skin.

Kolya was the villain who just wouldn't die. The villain who kept coming back again and again, fueled by a relentless need to bring down Sheppard.

_"That's what this is all about, killing Sheppard." _

_"Absolutely, Dr. McKay, but don't feel left out, if I don't get those weapons from Dr. Weir, I fully intend to kill you as well." _

Rodney rubbed his eyes, knuckles stretching out dark circles. But Kolya had died. This time the villain's dastardly attempt to kill the hero had cost him his life. Sheppard had shot Kolya in a scene straight out of a western.

"It's over," John would say.

"It's over," Rodney said, speaking into the wind. The words lacked the weight of finality Sheppard would have given them.

If it was over, why couldn't he get Kolya's voice out of his mind? Why couldn't he stop picturing John dead?

Rodney raised his chin. "It's over," he repeated and turned to leave the balcony. Maybe if he thought it enough, his mind would finally accept the truth, and he could relax, at least until the next life-threatening mission.  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  


_"If I gave you the opportunity to surrender, I don't suppose you'd take it?" _

_Kolya chuckles and Rodney feels his stomach turn. He wants to yell at John to run, but it's too late for that. _

_"I didn't think so," John says, and then he and Kolya square off, hands inching toward their guns, like a sheriff and outlaw facing each other down. _

_It's over in an instant. John tumbles to the ground, and beside him, Rodney hears Ronon roar, but he can't find his voice. All he knows is he has to get to John and find some way to fix this. He tries to move forward, but Kolya grabs him, hand cutting into the scar on his arm like a fresh knife wound. Except, this hurts so much more than that slice ever did. This pain is like a thousand knife wounds. _

_"All of this was just to kill Sheppard," he yells, his voice cracking. _

_"Yes." Kolya grins. "Looks like the best man won. Sheppard's dead, Dr. McKay." _

_"NO!" _

Rodney woke, his body shaking. He kicked off the covers and stumbled to his feet. A single instinct drove him — find John. He made it all the way to the door before his brain kicked into gear and questioned instinct. What the hell was he just about to do? Run to John's room, barefoot, and tell him that he had a nightmare. Oh yes, that was a brilliant idea. He might as well ask for a night light while he was at it. Not that John wouldn't invite him in, because of course he would, but he would say, "Ok," in that drawled out way of his that indicated he thought Rodney had gone off the deep end.

No, he was absolutely not going to Sheppard's room.

Head resting against the door, Rodney took a deep breath. After a few minutes, he straightened, walked back to the bed and got beneath the sheets. He needed to calm down and get some rest, and he knew just the thing that might help. Closing his eyes, he began to count ZPMs. In his mind, he pictured an ever-growing pile of ZPMs, so much power, so much potential. Rodney's lips curved, and he felt his body relax.

There, that was better. He had no reason to get all worked up. John was fine, and Kolya was dead. No more worrying that the bastard might show up and do something like, oh, feed John to a Wraith.

Rodney let out a sigh, and in his mind, he reached out carefully toward a ZPM and came into contact with weathered, wrinkled skin. John was tied to a chair with a Wraith feeding on him. Rodney struggled to reach the bindings and free John, but Kolya had a vice grip on him, the hold sucking the life out of him, just as the Wraith was sucking John's life away.

John's eyes grew weary, and then the spark of life dimmed in them. There was nothing he could do. John was….

Rodney's eyes opened and he sat up. He shoved at the covers, feet tangling in them and tossing him to the floor. He unraveled himself and stood. There had to be something he could do, something that would distract his mind. "Work. Yes, I have work to do, lots of work." Of course, there was always plenty in Atlantis that required his immediate attention.

Pants pulled over boxers, feet shoved into shoes, and he was finished dressing in no time. Rodney bolted from his room, fleeing the stench of fear.  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  


The musty smell made Rodney's nose itch. Normally, it never would have occurred to him to have sex in a flood-damaged section of the city, but it had been hard to find time with John these last few days, and he'd never been one for practicing self-denial. He wanted John, so he had to make an opportunity. So far, John was being annoyingly uncooperative.

"Rodney, I really don't think this is a good idea." John's voice sounded a bit breathless, that might have been because Rodney had just pressed a hand against his crotch.

"Really?"

"Someone might come by."

"Oh yes, because this is such a high traffic area. Trust me. No one is coming down this way." Rodney slid a hand beneath John's black t-shirt. God, John was so warm and alive. He wanted to touch all of him. Rodney pressed his lips against the side of John's neck, tasting sounded like a good idea too.

"I'm on duty."

Rodney felt the vibrations from John speaking. He lifted his lips for a moment to dispel John's latest ridiculous objection. "We're always on duty." He waved a hand. "On-call or whatever you want to call it. There are things you should really make time for, don't you think?"

"We don't even know if it's safe down here." John pressed a hand on Rodney's chest forcing his gaze upward.

"You're worried about safety." Rodney glared. "The man who thinks sunscreen is pointless and who courts danger with every breath is worried about safety."

"I don't court danger. I'd much rather play golf than risk my life."

Under normal circumstances, Rodney would have willingly argued that point, after all, there was a difference between what one wanted to do and what one actually did, but today he wasn't in the mood for arguing. He just wanted to have his way.

"And you're not worried at all about safety. Don't you think that's a bit odd?" John placed a hand against the side of Rodney's face, and brushed his fingers across Rodney's lips.

Rodney opened his mouth and captured John's thumb, sucking hard. The way John's eyes slid closed was very pleasing, as was the gasp he made. Rodney slowly released John's thumb, and then John placed hands on both sides of his face and finally kissed him like he meant it. Ah, victory. Surely that had to be the last ridiculous objection John would try to make.

He pressed a hand against John's ass, closing the space between them. John was hard, very hard, so much for all his whining about this not being a good idea. Ah, it was always good when one's hard work was appreciated. Rodney grinned and continued to kiss and touch John in all the ways that would make him moan, "Oh God, Rodney," because he could never get enough of John saying that phrase.

After a few minutes, Rodney broke out of John's embrace and walked a bit away. The ground was uneven here, and Rodney wanted a more level spot. A few steps to the right, and then he started to undo his pants. Sex in a place where he could actually take off his socks and shoes would have been preferable, but that so wasn't happening here. Lord knew what was swirling around in all these puddles. If he took time to think about it, this would probably be one of the last places he'd want to have sex, which was why he wasn't going to think about it.

He wanted John to fuck him, and he wanted it now. Rodney let his pants and boxers pool around his ankles. The ground was definitely wet here, which meant later if they ran into someone he'd have to have an excuse ready for the wetness. It seemed a minor price to pay to get what he wanted.

The last battle with the Replicators had caused some architectural rearrangement in parts of the city, such that a large slab was wedged into the wall in front of Rodney, creating a perfect ledge for him to lean on, as it felt secure and was thankfully dry. He rested his arms on the ledge and spread his legs wide, the invitation clear.

"Rodney." John's voice was an almost worshipful sigh.

That sound and the feel of his shirt being pushed up and a hand trailing down his back made Rodney shiver in a pleasurable way. His hip brushed against something rough, making him wince, but he was reluctant to move, particularly when John was touching his ass.

"We don't have anything."

"What? Oh yes, right pocket of my pants." He'd meant to pull the lube out before he dropped his pants, and he might have remembered if Sheppard hadn't taken so much damn time to convince. Oh well.

He felt the tickle of hair against the back of his leg as John knelt down.

"So this wasn't exactly unplanned, huh?" John chuckled. "You scoped this spot out, made sure it would work and then plotted to seduce me."

John sounded immensely pleased with the idea, and if it made John feel better to think that he had planned every aspect of this encounter, purposely choosing a dank hall for sex, who was he to dispel John's delusion. John didn't need to know he'd been carrying lube in his pocket for the last two days waiting for some time when they'd be alone. It was just his luck that the only chance they got was in a ruined section of the city.

"Hey, you can stroke your ego later. If you're planning to just talk, let me know so I can get dressed. It's getting cold."

Cloth rubbed against his ass, as John leaned over him and wrapped fingers around his cock, stroking and then letting go. "I'm sure I could stroke you enough to keep you warm," John said.

Rodney groaned. "Really, you can stop talking now." He couldn't help smiling, though, as John laughed. The sound of John's contentment was always contagious.

It seemed like it took forever for John to undo his pants, but eventually he felt John's cock sliding over his ass, and John massaging his thighs. He let out a sigh. It all felt so good, but still there was a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. When would the interruption come? When would someone suddenly need them? What if John had been right and someone did come by? They were taking too long, tempting fate.

He was relieved when he finally heard the sound of John opening the lube. Then John's finger was pressed against his opening. It should have been his cock. Things were moving too slow.

"I'm ready now," Rodney said. He clenched his butt around John's finger.

"Rodney?"

He heard the unease in John's voice, but he ignored it. "Now, fuck me now." John didn't move, so Rodney added, "Please, John. I'm ready."

Except, he's not ready. The fear of interruption made his muscles tense, and whatever his hip was rubbing against was sharp and painful. When John started to press into him, it hurt, and he couldn't prevent the flinch that jerked his body.

John stopped and rubbed a hand soothingly along Rodney's lower back. "Hey, easy."

No. They didn't have time for this. "I'm fine. Keep going." Rodney pressed backward, biting down on his lip.

Of course, Sheppard didn't listen. Rodney cursed as John pulled out of him. He started to make a bitter retort, but the words jumbled into a moan. John had wrapped a hand around his cock, thumb sliding across the tip, and, oh how that felt good. Rodney panted as his world narrowed to John's touches.

The warm press of lips against his back.

A hand on his thigh.

John's cock rubbing against his skin.

His cock sliding through firm, but achingly slow strokes.

All his tension disappeared. It had no place here, not when he was giving all of himself to John, and it was both okay and frightening to give everything to John, and somehow oh so right, more right than anything else he'd ever felt.

This time when John's cock pressed into him, he was ready, more than ready. "Yes, yes, like that," Rodney said, as John slid all the way in.

"Just like this," John said. And God that voice. How did Sheppard do that to him, melt his brain with just the tone of his words?

Whatever was scratching against his hip hurt, a dull pain, but that was okay because otherwise he might have started to think this moment was perfect, and perfect always ended up going so badly. He'd take nearly perfect over impending disaster any day.

"Oh, God, Rodney," John moaned, and that was all it took to make Rodney come.

His body took control, shudders of pleasure smothering thought, and that was good, so very good. Then he felt John pulsing inside him, which sent more shudders coursing through his body. Yes, yes, yes, this was what he'd needed.

For a while they were still, both trying to catch their breath, but then John started to feel heavy against him, and Rodney couldn't halt the groan of complaint that slipped out of his mouth. He winced as John pulled out of him, and then straightened up, a hand going to his back and pressing against the sudden ache there.

He was thrown off balance, feet catching in his pants, as John suddenly turned him around. John gave him no opportunity to object, covering Rodney's lips with his own and kissing like Rodney was oxygen or something else necessary to living, and really, he was never ever going to object to John kissing him like that. John's hand slid over his body, and he grimaced when it rested on his hip, but the discomfort wasn't enough to make him want to stop kissing. Something had made John stop, though.

"Rodney!" John said.

The horrified tone in John's voice made Rodney follow his gaze. There was blood on John's hand, his blood. He flicked a glance to the wall, for the first time noticing the sharp grooves in one spot. There was blood there too, and his hip was covered in scratches, some deeper than others. Oh yuck.

"Why didn't you say something?" John bent over, fingers lightly touching around the scratches on Rodney's hip.

Rodney brushed John's fingers away, annoyed. He was relaxed for the first time in days, and John was going to make a big deal out of something that so wasn't a big deal.

"Surprisingly, my focus was elsewhere. I can't imagine why. It's a few small cuts. I think I'll survive." He waved his hand and then bent down to pull up his pants, which were disgustingly wet in spots. Rodney sighed as he zipped up his pants. "I guess it's back to work. If anyone asks why we look like we were crawling around in puddles, just tell them I fell and you got wet helping me up."

He expected John to make some sort of smart ass remark, so he was surprised when his comment met with silence. Rodney looked up to find John staring at him.

"First we're going back to your quarters where I can make sure those cuts are taken care of."

Rodney rolled his eyes. However, John did look ridiculously cute with his arms crossed and that concerned frown on his face. With a smirk, Rodney walked over and kissed him. "So what, you're in the mood to play doctor?" He shrugged. "I guess I can go with that."

That comment made John shake his head and laugh. "You know plotting to seduce me puts you in a really good mood."

Rodney snorted. "Sex puts me in a really good mood."

"Good point," John said with another laugh. He put a hand against Rodney's back. "Come on."

As they headed toward the transporter, Rodney wondered if they might have time to slip in a shower and maybe even a nap. After all if no one was looking for them by now, maybe it was a slow day, and they wouldn't be missed. Of course that hope proved to be wishful thinking, as John barely had time to clean the cuts, with Rodney bitching about his lousy bedside manner, before Rodney got the call that he was needed in the control room. It was another busy day in Atlantis.  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  


The Ancients had apparently never heard of the concept of conserving power, of course they'd also had multiple ZPMs, so it probably wasn't much of concern. Still their wastefulness meant he would spend tomorrow traipsing all over the city trying to find what was causing that damn power spike. Rodney stifled a yawn. If Elizabeth hadn't sent him off to bed like he was a child, he surely would have been able to figure things out from the control room and tomorrow's trek would have been unnecessary, plus he would have won that bet.

The door to his room slid open. When Rodney stepped inside, he felt his frustration melt. John was asleep on his bed. As John had known he'd be working late, Rodney wasn't expecting to see him. Every once in a while life tossed a pleasant surprise at him. It was a nice change of pace.

Rodney tried to be quiet as he stepped through the room and then carefully sat on the side of the bed. He'd never admit it out loud, but watching John sleep, lanky body fully relaxed, was one of his favorite things to do, and it was something he didn't get to do very often. Not that he got to watch for long tonight, as at that moment, John stretched and opened his eyes.

"Hey," John said and smiled.

He really didn't mind the loss of watching John sleep too much, as a sleepy and openly affectionate John was another one of his favorite things. Rodney remembered that the first time John had smiled that sleepy happy smile at him he'd been so stunned he'd actually looked over his shoulder to see if someone else had slipped into the room. No one had ever looked at him with that much affection.

It was a good look on John, and a look Rodney suspected not many people had been lucky enough to see. It was a privilege he wanted to keep and hoped never to share. He reached out and laced his fingers through John's, and a lopsided smile, which he was sure looked disgustingly happy, curved his lips, but what did he care as the smile was only for John. "Hi," he said and squeezed John's hand.

"You figure it out?"

The smile left Rodney's face. "No. Apparently it was too much to ask for the Ancients to actually document things, so tomorrow I shall be taking a team to trek all over the city in an Easter egg hunt for power-draining routines the Ancients felt the need to initiate while they were oh so briefly here."

"Sorry."

Rodney shrugged. "I'll deal with it tomorrow."

John tugged on his hand. "Come to bed. You look tired."

"Maybe I am," Rodney said with a yawn. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and realized he felt grimy. "Let me clean-up first, and I'll be right back."

"'Kay," John said. He moved over on the bed and closed his eyes.

Rodney washed up, brushed his teeth and got changed for bed as quickly as he could. When he stepped back into the bedroom, John's breathing was already deep and even. He turned off the lights and got into bed, sliding in next to John's warmth, and closed his eyes.

"You okay?"

The softly spoken question surprised him, as he'd sworn John was asleep. "Yes, why wouldn't I be? There's not some reason that you haven't told me that you really should tell me that I wouldn't be okay, is there?"

John chuckled. "No. It's just that…well…the last few days, it's seemed like you might not be okay."

"Well, you were imaging things. I'm fine."

For a moment there was a tense silence, and then John asked, "Is it Kolya?"

Rodney's jaw dropped open. "What? How could you? I never…I mean…."

John put a hand on Rodney's arm. "Relax, Rodney. You've been rubbing that scar on your arm a lot lately, so I figured you might be thinking about Kolya. What's bugging you?"

"Just doing the retrospective thing." Rodney shrugged, knowing John would feel the movement.

"Why? It's over, Rodney. He's not coming back this time."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious to me. It's not like I was expecting him to return as, oh, a zombie, not that I wouldn't put that past Kolya, if it was in the least bit possible. I know it's over, it's just…." Rodney paused. "Why Evel Knievel?"

"What? How does this have anything to do with…."

"Just answer the question. Why is he your hero?"

"I told you. I thought he was cool as a kid."

Rodney sighed. "Yes, cool would be one of your defining characteristics for a hero. While Batman is utterly brilliant, I think out here even he would want a few superpowers."

"So, what, you want to be even more brilliant?"

"Ha. Very funny. Tell me you wouldn't like to be able to fly, have super strength, or the ability to become invisible."

"Sounds cool. Let me know when you figure out how to do it, and I'll test it with you."

Rodney snorted. "No problem, I'll just snap my fingers and whip together a superpower generator."

John laughed, and then said, "So, you okay?"

"Yeah, I am," Rodney said, and he realized it was true.

"Good." John tugged so that Rodney was draped across his chest.

Rodney closed his eyes, thoughts of superpowers still drifting through his mind. It wasn't that he doubted his own superior abilities. It was just if someone like Kolya, who was like the cockroach that would survive a nuclear holocaust, could die then so could…. Rodney cut that thought off. There was absolutely no point in dwelling on that what if.

If they found themselves in an incredibly bad situation, just like always, he and John would come up with a plan, or Ronon and Teyla would come to the rescue. And if that didn't happen, Elizabeth would send help, or Radek would figure something out. He finally had people in his life that he could count on, and they could count on his brilliance as well. It would be enough. It would have to be.

Still, as sleep began to claim his mind, he couldn't help thinking superpowers would be oh so cool and very useful, and who would make better use of them than he would? His last thought before falling asleep was if only it was possible.


End file.
